Terminology Service for NFDI4Health

thymus

Go to external page http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/UBERON_0002370


Anatomical structure of largely lymphoid tissue that functions in cell-mediated immunity by being the site where T cells develop. [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thymus ]

Term info

Label

thymus

Synonyms
  • thymus gland
  • thymus organ
database cross reference
Subsets

uberon_slim, efo_slim, pheno_slim, vertebrate_core, organ_slim, major_organ

depicted by

http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/Illu_thymus.jpg

editor note

check - a subtype of gland? not in GO. NCIT has thymus and thymus gland. EHDAA2 has ductless gland.

external definition

Anatomical structure which originates as several paired thickenings on the dorsal side of the pharyngeal pouches and secretes thymosin.[AAO]

homology notes

A thymus develops in all vertebrates from the endodermal epithelium of certain pharyngeal pouches and from the adjacent ectodermal epithelium. In fishes, all the pouches, or the first four, contribute to thymus formation, but in tetrapods, the number is more restricted. In mammals, only the third and fourth are involved, and the contribution of the third is by far the greater.[well established][VHOG]

id

UBERON:0002370